1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source apparatus that enables light emitted from a light source to be led with the use of a light guide path.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-205195 discloses a prior art of a light source apparatus that emits illumination light. In the Publication, a light emission apparatus having a light emission unit is suggested, the light emission unit including a laser beam source, a light guide formed out of an optical fiber, and a wavelength conversion member. Herein, a blue laser beam source is arranged at a proximal end portion of the light guide formed out of the optical fiber and the wavelength conversion member is arranged at a distal end portion of the light guide, respectively. Further, in this constitution, a laser beam (primary light) emitted from the blue laser beam source is led to a distal end through the light guide, and secondary light subjected to wavelength conversion by the wavelength conversion member at the distal end of the light guide is allowed to exit to the outside as illumination light.
This light source apparatus is mounted in, e.g., an endoscope. According to this endoscope, a light emission unit (a wavelength conversion member) is to be inserted into a narrow space to illuminate the inside of the narrow space.
In Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-205195, the light source apparatus is mounted in, e.g., an endoscope, the light emission unit (the wavelength conversion member) is inserted into a narrow space with use of the endoscope, and the inside of the narrow space is illuminated. In this case, at the time of an operation of inserting the endoscope into the narrow space, a shape of the endoscope changes in accordance with a shape of the inside of the space into which the endoscope is inserted, and hence a shape of the light guide must be changed in accordance with the shape of the endoscope at this moment. When the change of shape or the like of the light guide is repeatedly carried out in this manner, the optical fiber may possibly be damaged. When the optical fiber is damaged, the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source does not reach the wavelength conversion member provided at the distal end portion of the light guide, and the light source apparatus cannot emit the light.
Furthermore, in the case of repairing the light source apparatus according to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-205195, one end side of the damaged optical fiber must be removed from the laser beam source, and the other end side of the same must be removed from the wavelength conversion member. Moreover, after this operation, one end side of a new optical fiber must be disposed to the laser beam source, and the other end side of the new optical fiber must be disposed to the wavelength conversion member. Therefore, the repair takes large amounts of time and effort at the time of replacing the optical fiber.
In a light source apparatus with a narrow diameter that illuminates a narrow tube in particular, a diameter of a wavelength conversion member must be narrowed. In this case, reuse of the wavelength conversion member is difficult, the wavelength conversion member must be replaced with a new one, and a cost is increased.
Additionally, when the wavelength conversion member is deteriorated or when the laser beam source apparatus is deteriorated, likewise, there occurs a problem that an optical fiber must be attached or removed. That is, the light source apparatus according to the conventional technology has a configuration that causes inconvenience during repair.